Same old problems for Duff-less Shelbourne
Harry Wood scored of the defining goal of the Damien Duff era, clinching the league title for Shelbourne in Derry on the final day of last season when a rebound fell to him four yards from goal.
Duff described the moment as the pinnacle of his career. In fact, he said it wiped the floor with everything he had achieved as a player. Over four years at Shels, his passion for the club and the League of Ireland was regularly revealed in these sorts of quotes – colourful, intense and headline-worthy.
On Monday night, Wood was the scorer of the first two goals of the champions’ post-Duff era, which got under way with a 2-2 draw in Waterford. Both arrived from the same sort of distance as his instinctive finish at the Brandywell, which now feels some distance away. Wood celebrated the second by grabbing one of the RSC multi-balls behind Waterford’s goal and launching it, half-frustratedly, high into the evening sky. It summed up the sort of confused emotions surrounding the fixture.
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If Duff was watching, he will have picked up on familiar problems that have plagued his once defensively rigid side this season. Individual errors from Kameron Ledwidge and Conor Kearns were to blame for goals from Grant Horton and Pádraig Amond, who is up to an impressive eight overall for the campaign.
A title challenge feels out of reach, but Shelbourne will have to regroup if they hope to be in the mix for European spots. The club’s first Champions League qualifier in 20 years – an all-island tie against Linfield – is just around the corner too, leaving much for interim manager Joey O’Brien to work towards.
James Clarke the key as Bohs blitz Shamrock Rovers
Alan Reynolds’s most interesting rotation in Bohemians’ starting line-up this season has been up top, where minutes tend to be shared by channel-running, primary-colour striker Colm Whelan and the league’s patented false nine, James Clarke.
It was the latter that got the nod for this Dublin derby, and he repaid his manager by being the best player on the pitch. Alongside his foil Dayle Rooney, Clarke knit everything together for Bohs – effervescent in all pockets of the final third, and noticeably hungry to affect the scoreboard beyond his usual flicks and busy work. The evidence was there in his early assist for Rooney and a deserved, decisive goal, bundled over the line from close range in a manner befitting a more traditional centre forward.
It is now three wins from three for the Gypsies against their table-topping arch-rivals, but this was the first time Shamrock Rovers looked as though they could not live with Bohs. In possession, Clarke led the fluid give-and-go patterns in attack – more and more recognisable at Dalymount as this season progresses.
Without the ball, the home side were aggressive and ambitious, squeezing the Hoops early on at every opportunity and, with a two-goal lead in the second half, staying focused and compact as their opponents emptied an esteemed, frightening bench. Bohs are nine points behind the league leaders, but with two games in hand. A title challenge is possible.
St Pat’s struggles continue
Despite turning in an improved performance, St Pat’s fell to a third consecutive defeat as a moment of quality from Derry City earned three points in Inchicore.
Just before half-time, an incisive move through the thirds ended in Ronan and Liam Boyce combining. The full-back teed up his namesake with a lovely flat cross – Liam now has five for the season after a difficult start in Derry.
On this occasion, Stephen Kenny can count himself unfortunate. Though many Pat’s efforts were hopeful, big chances did fall to a stretching Mason Melia and to Simon Power, who spent slightly too long winding up his strike and ultimately narrowed his angle.
Derry will have no issue with nicking a win. Tiernan Lynch’s side are nicely positioned for European contention now – three points clear of fifth-place Shelbourne with two games in hand.
Sligo Rovers seal massive victory in action-packed Connacht Derby
The defining moment of Sligo Rovers’ Monday night contest with Galway United came on 52 minutes, when both Moses Dyer and John Mahon were sent off for their parts in a scuffle after the latter’s poor challenge on the former right in front of the dugouts.
Generally, a referee produces two yellow cards in these instances, but with the scores at 1-1, referee Neil Doyle dismissed the pair. Neutrals may thank him, given the explosive 40 minutes that followed. Chances came easily at both ends – Galway, loading the box to attack high crosses, had the ball cleared off the line several times and saw new signing Malcolm Shaw’s header bounce off the crossbar with one of the game’s final actions.
Sligo’s winner was, in itself, a microcosm of the scattered madness. It came courtesy of former Galway man Francely Lomboto, who hit Evan Watts’s post twice in a matter of seconds, before producing an audacious back-heel that slid under the goalkeeper. One in three of the points Sligo have accumulated this season have come against their biggest rivals. Crucially, the gap between themselves and bottom-place Cork has widened to four points.
Djenairo Daniels keeps Cork City afloat for now
Cork City looked to be heading for a third defeat in a row on Monday, but Djenairo Daniels’s powerful 96th-minute header kept them within four points of ninth-place Sligo, and an all-important relegation playoff should they bridge that gap.
Drogheda were hoping to continue their push for Europe, and they led for the majority of the game at Turner’s Cross after Shane Farrell’s precise early free kick. Though Cork controlled plenty of the ball, they rarely posed a significant threat to the away side.
The Leesiders are desperate for positives. Ten games without a win, they have failed to keep a clean sheet all season. Daniels has been a very bright spark, with five goals in 11 games since joining the club in April. His contract is set to expire in July though, and that form will leave no shortage of suitors.
Two new signings have been announced to bolster Cork’s leaky defence, with Rory Feely and Fiacre Kelleher arriving at the start of next month. Their impact will need to be enormous if Ger Nash is to rescue the season.
